Prescribing Problems for the PT
A couple of weeks back I posted that I am actually able to prescribe medications in very particular circumstances. I thought that was very forward-thinking and praised the autonomy allowed to physiotherapists here.
Today we take a step backward. I had to sit through a class on prescribing standard wheelchairs. No, I'm not allowed to prescribe a wheelchair unless I have sat through this course, taught by nurses (ouch!), on how to measure people for selecting a standard chair. I learned this during my second year of PT school and have been doing it practically for two decades now. I was miffed. So now I am deemed qualified (aren't physiotherapists here taught about wheelchair prescriptions and fitting?) to issue standard and junior chairs. No hemi-chairs, no elevating leg rests, no desk arms. Those require a specialist's assessment. What am I, chopped liver?
To the credit of the instructors, they recognized my abilities, agreed that perhaps it was a bit ridiculous that I had to refer to them work I could clearly do myself. Ah but the bureaucracy that has their hands tied won't allow them to actually clear me to do that bit that I am qualified to do.
The NHS giveth and the NHS taketh away.